Don’t Starve, the popular wilderness survival game by Klei Entertainment, throws you into a dark and unforgiving world where you must scavenge, craft, and fight to survive. While the game starts you with Wilson, the iconic Gentleman Scientist, there’s a whole roster of unique characters to unlock, each with their own distinct perks, disadvantages, and playstyles. Unlocking these characters adds a significant layer of replayability and allows you to tailor your survival strategy to your preferences. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every method to unlock each character in Don’t Starve (including Reign of Giants and Shipwrecked DLCs, where applicable), providing detailed instructions and helpful tips.
Understanding Character Unlocks
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s understand the general ways characters are unlocked in Don’t Starve:
- Experience Points (XP): The primary method. You earn XP by surviving days, and a smaller amount by performing actions like crafting, building, and fighting. Accumulating enough XP unlocks the next character in the predetermined unlock order.
- Adventure Mode: A challenging mode that presents a series of increasingly difficult worlds you must conquer. Completing Adventure Mode unlocks Wes.
- Specific Achievements/Tasks: In some cases, you might need to perform specific in-game actions or achieve certain milestones to unlock a character. (This is less common in the base game)
- DLC Specifics: DLCs like Reign of Giants and Shipwrecked sometimes introduce new methods for unlocking characters or slightly alter existing ones.
Unlocking Characters via XP
This is the most straightforward and common way to unlock characters in Don’t Starve. Simply survive as long as possible, perform various activities, and earn XP. The amount of XP required increases with each character unlocked.
Earning XP Effectively
Here are some tips to maximize your XP gain:
- Survive! The longer you survive, the more XP you earn passively. Focus on building a sustainable base, managing your hunger and sanity, and avoiding unnecessary risks.
- Crafting: Crafting various items, especially early-game tools and necessities, grants a small amount of XP. Prioritize crafting things like axes, pickaxes, backpacks, and basic survival tools.
- Building: Constructing structures like science machines, alchemy engines, crock pots, and drying racks awards XP. Building a functional and efficient base will naturally contribute to your XP gain.
- Cooking: Cooking food is essential for survival, and each cooked meal grants a small amount of XP. Experiment with different recipes to maximize your hunger and health recovery.
- Combat: Fighting creatures earns XP, but it’s generally not the most efficient method, especially early on. Focus on surviving rather than actively seeking out combat. Only fight when necessary, especially against creatures that pose a threat to your survival. However, in the late game, farming bosses or difficult mobs with proper preparation can significantly increase your XP gains.
- Exploring: Discovering new areas and landmarks provides a small XP bonus. Explore the map thoroughly to uncover valuable resources and secrets.
Character Unlock Order and XP Requirements
Here’s the character unlock order and the approximate XP required to unlock each one:
- Wilson (Starting Character): N/A
- Willow: 160 XP
- Wolfgang: 320 XP
- Wendy: 640 XP
- WX-78: 1280 XP
- Wickerbottom: 2560 XP
- Woodie: 5120 XP
Note: These XP values are approximate and may vary slightly depending on the version of the game and any active mods.
Character Profiles and Strategies for XP Grinding
- Willow: Willow is resistant to fire damage and can summon a teddy bear named Bernie when her sanity is low. Bernie acts as a temporary distraction for enemies. However, Willow has lower sanity than other characters, and can start fires randomly when she is too anxious. Playing as Willow, focus on controlling your sanity. Wearing sanity boosting items, like a Tam o’ Shanter, can help considerably.
- Wolfgang: Wolfgang’s strength and hunger are dependent on his hunger level. When full, he’s incredibly strong, but when starving, he becomes weak and cowardly. Manage his hunger by consistently hunting, cooking, and eating food. Always carry extra food to avoid sudden drops in hunger. Build a meat drying rack early and often hunt Koalefants or beefalo for consistent meat drops.
- Wendy: Wendy can summon her deceased twin sister Abigail, who can attack enemies. Abigail is very useful for combat, especially against groups of weaker enemies. Utilize Abigail to defend yourself and farm resources. Wendy is weaker, so don’t directly engage in combat unless necessary. Always have flowers ready to craft Abigail’s Flower when she is killed.
- WX-78: WX-78 is a robot who can be upgraded with gears. He is also damaged by rain, but gains health from lightning strikes. Seek out gears in the ruins, clockwork biomes, and tumbleweeds to upgrade WX-78’s stats. Prepare for rain by seeking shelter or crafting waterproof clothing. When lightning storms come, try to get hit by lightning to heal yourself and overcharge your systems.
- Wickerbottom: Wickerbottom can craft books that have various effects, such as summoning monsters, growing plants, or putting enemies to sleep. However, she suffers from insomnia and can’t sleep. Use her books strategically to gain an advantage. Be mindful of the sanity cost of using her books. Prepare for winter by crafting warm clothing, as she can’t sleep through the night to skip it. Focus on farming early to be able to utilize her farming books later.
- Woodie: Woodie is a lumberjack who transforms into a werebeaver when he chops down too many trees or during the full moon. The werebeaver has increased strength and speed, but cannot use tools or weapons. Learn to manage the werebeaver transformation. Chop down trees strategically to avoid transforming at inopportune times. Use the werebeaver form to quickly gather resources, but be aware of its limitations. You can craft Lucy the Axe with Woodie’s new rework, which gives you an extra ally and also serves as an axe.
Unlocking Wes via Adventure Mode
Wes, the mime, is a special character who is unlocked by completing Adventure Mode. Adventure Mode is a separate game mode accessible through Maxwell’s Door, a mysterious structure that appears randomly in the world.
Accessing Adventure Mode
- Locate Maxwell’s Door: Explore the world thoroughly until you find a structure that resembles a stone archway with two Maxwell statues flanking it. It’s usually found in areas with checkered flooring and ominous decorations.
- Activate the Door: Approach the door and interact with it. You’ll be prompted to enter Adventure Mode.
- Prepare for a Challenge: Adventure Mode is significantly more difficult than Survival Mode. It consists of a series of five increasingly challenging worlds, each with unique environments, enemies, and objectives. Stock up on resources, craft durable equipment, and develop a solid survival strategy before entering.
Navigating Adventure Mode
Each world in Adventure Mode has its own set of challenges. Here are some general tips:
- Explore Thoroughly: Explore each world thoroughly to find resources, tools, and clues. The layout of each world is randomly generated, so adapt to your surroundings.
- Manage Your Resources Wisely: Resources are often scarce in Adventure Mode. Prioritize essential resources like food, firewood, and healing items.
- Adapt to the Environment: Each world has unique environmental hazards, such as extreme weather conditions, dangerous creatures, and limited resources. Adapt your strategy to overcome these challenges.
- Learn Enemy Patterns: Understanding the attack patterns and weaknesses of enemies is crucial for survival. Observe their behavior and develop strategies to defeat them effectively.
- Progress Strategically: Focus on completing the main objective of each world to progress to the next. Don’t waste time on unnecessary tasks or risks.
Completing Adventure Mode and Unlocking Wes
To unlock Wes, you must successfully complete all five worlds of Adventure Mode and return to the final world. Once you complete the mode you will unlock Wes. Adventure Mode is challenging, so expect to die many times. Don’t be discouraged, learn from your mistakes, and try again.
DLC Character Unlock Details
The Reign of Giants and Shipwrecked DLCs add new characters and potentially alter the unlock methods for existing ones. Here’s a breakdown of the DLC-specific unlock details.
Reign of Giants (ROG)
Reign of Giants doesn’t add any new characters that are unlockable, but it changes a few aspects of gameplay that influence character choice and survival strategy.
Shipwrecked
Shipwrecked introduces new characters and different challenges that require different tactics for survival. The most common unlock method will still be based on accumulating experience points by surviving in this world.
- Walani: She is unlocked via purchase of the Shipwrecked DLC. She starts with a surfboard.
- Wilbur: He is unlocked by finding Wilbur’s head on a volcanic island, then crafting a flag post and attaching the head to the flag post.
- Woodlegs: Woodlegs is unlocked by defeating the Sea Legs boss in the Shipwrecked DLC.
Note: Character abilities from the base game carry over into the DLC, so the methods to gain XP will be similar as well.
Troubleshooting Common Unlock Issues
Sometimes, you might encounter issues with unlocking characters. Here are some common problems and their solutions:
- XP Not Accumulating: Ensure you are playing in a mode that allows character unlocks (Survival Mode, not Sandbox Mode). Also, verify that you haven’t disabled character unlocks in the game settings.
- Adventure Mode Not Progressing: Make sure you are completing the main objective of each world in Adventure Mode. Explore thoroughly and look for clues that guide you to the next stage.
- Character Still Locked After Completing Requirements: Restart the game. Sometimes, the game might not register the unlock immediately. Restarting the game usually resolves this issue.
- Mods Interfering: Disable any mods that might be affecting character unlocks. Some mods can alter the game’s mechanics and prevent you from unlocking characters properly.
Tips for Choosing the Right Character
Each character in Don’t Starve offers a unique gameplay experience. Here are some tips for choosing the right character for your playstyle:
- Consider Your Playstyle: Are you a builder, a fighter, a farmer, or an explorer? Choose a character whose abilities complement your preferred playstyle.
- Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses: Identify your strengths and weaknesses as a player. Choose a character that covers your weaknesses and amplifies your strengths.
- Experiment with Different Characters: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different characters to find the ones you enjoy playing the most. Each character offers a unique challenge and reward.
- Read Character Guides and Tips: Research character guides and tips to learn about the strengths, weaknesses, and strategies for each character.
Conclusion
Unlocking all the characters in Don’t Starve adds a significant layer of depth and replayability to the game. Whether you prefer to grind XP, brave the challenges of Adventure Mode, or explore the depths of the DLCs, there’s a method to unlock every character and experience the game in new and exciting ways. By following the tips and instructions in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to unlocking every character and mastering the art of survival in the unforgiving world of Don’t Starve. Remember to stay vigilant, manage your resources wisely, and adapt to the ever-changing environment. Good luck, and don’t starve!